Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a man many conservatives hoped would run for president, sat down at a phone bank Wednesday to give Mitt Romney some advice on a GOP debate that night.

The advice was vintage Christie, and reflected exactly the quality his supporters had hoped the plain-spoken governor might bring to the race.
"Just be yourself, pal," Christie told Romney over the phone as he sat on a folding chair next to campaign volunteers making calls for the former Massachusetts governor at Romney's New Hampshire headquarters.

Christie, a darling of the conservative establishment, was in New Hampshire on his first trip to stump solo for Romney, who he endorsed the day of a Republican debate last month in New Hampshire.

After shaking hands with all the volunteers at Romney's phone bank, Christie sat down and made a call himself.

Soon it became clear that Christie was not trying to woo a New Hampshire voter.

Christie told Romney he would do well in the debate by letting his experience and personality shine through.

"The other guys will just try to get goofy," he said.

Christie also complimented Romney's New Hampshire volunteers.

"You have a great group of volunteers up here, they're working hard," he said. "Well they were working hard, until I got here. Now they've all stopped working. I'm real sorry."

After assuring Romney he would be watching his debate performance from a watch party in Boston, Christie hung up the phone and declared his friend was ready.

soundoff(13 Responses)

ThinkAgain

Which Romney self? The one who implemented Romneycare, or the one who disavows it because it was the blueprint for Obamacare? The pro-choice Romney when he was governor of Mass. or the one who is pro-life now that he has to suck up to the GOP evangelical base? The one who says he'll create jobs, or the one who made his millions breaking up American companies, laying off American workers and shipping American jobs overseas?

You see, it's hard to be true to yourself when you're a flip-flopper.

November 9, 2011 07:08 pm at 7:08 pm |

Name

Ooohh please don't ask Romney to be himself, he might mess around and fire every one if he feel they're not making enough money.

November 9, 2011 07:16 pm at 7:16 pm |

Paul

Which 'self'? Which 'Mitt'?

Most people are able to be themselves and most people are know by others as having one 'self', but for Romney it's totally impossible, since he has so many 'selves'. For the sake of political expediency Romney is able to confuse us by displaying multiple selves on the campaign trail.

It's a good advice given by someone who also isn't clear about himself. All Christie needs to do is look in the mirror for his real 'self', and he'll certainly see it. Romney, however, can't do that since he's more confused about himself than Christie is. Which 'self'? Which 'Mitt' will Romney be?

November 9, 2011 07:18 pm at 7:18 pm |

ThinkAgain

Here's a question for whichever "self" Romney chooses to be:

1. You believe that "corporations are people, my friend." What was/is the gender of Bain Capital, the company one of you Romneys co-founded?

2. As a Mormon who believes in Baptism of the Dead, can corporations (since they are people) be baptized into the Mormon Church after they've died?

3. Please explain how this can happen, since corporations can't die.

4. Please explain how something that cannot die is a person.

November 9, 2011 07:22 pm at 7:22 pm |

Jamie from Riverside

Yeah, be yourself, you still can't win.

November 9, 2011 07:24 pm at 7:24 pm |

logic in LA

He can't. He's not quite sure who that is. He's not the staunch conservative the party wants and he's not brave enough to be a conservative Democrat- poor Mitt!

November 9, 2011 07:25 pm at 7:25 pm |

RINO Bil

Good choice Chris, you have a keen grasp of the obvious. Who in their right mind would want to be like Rick Perry, or Herman Cain, or Ricky Santorum, or Michele Bachmann?

November 9, 2011 07:31 pm at 7:31 pm |

Justin L

Be yourself? And this is from a guy that actually knows Romney. These clowns are all so beyond unelectable. Even with the economic woes this guy is going to be an Obama punching bag.

November 9, 2011 07:36 pm at 7:36 pm |

Jersey3038

Real people don't need to be told to be themselves

November 9, 2011 07:37 pm at 7:37 pm |

wanderer

Being religious and a flip-flopper, it is impossible for Mr. Romney to get to know who he really or his ‘himself’ is. We don't know for sure if Christie knows who he really is and he advised Romney: 'just be yourself' ... ??

November 9, 2011 07:56 pm at 7:56 pm |

Larry L

"Just be yourself, pal," Christie told Romney.

Which one of his many "selfs" will Romney choose to be?

November 9, 2011 08:12 pm at 8:12 pm |

Gene Brady

How funny is THAT? The pork roll is a virgin politician and already an advisor!!! What a pathetic group these Republicans and their doltish followers are

November 9, 2011 08:16 pm at 8:16 pm |

Sandy

Romney has flip flopped so much, I'm not sure he even knows the real "him".